How to Make Purple Paint
Obtain magenta paint., Mix the magenta paint with whatever bright blue or turquoise you already own.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Obtain magenta paint.
The reason mixing red and blue paint doesn't give you the bright purple you would like is that red paint absorbs both green and blue light.
Since blue paint absorbs both red and green light, and your eye only senses color in terms of red, green, and blue (the reason we have three primary colors in the first place), that leaves very little red or blue light for your eye to sense, and your brain, which interprets the combinations of colors your eye senses, sees a so-called-purple that is almost black.
Magenta paint on the other hand, since it only absorbs green light, allows plenty of both blue and red light to reach your eye.
Combine it with a small amount of blue paint (absorbs both green and red light), or cyan paint (absorbs only red light), and your brain will receive a strong signal from the blue-sensing nerves, a weaker signal from the red-sensing nerves, and will see . . . bright purple! Magenta is one of the "subtractive" primary colors used by graphic designers and printers; the others are yellow and cyan.
Look for paint that has the pigment PR122 or PV19 in it, but no PB (blue) or PW (white).
If you're buying craft or poster paint, you can compare the color to the magenta in your computer's printer ink.
Just print a sample to take shopping with you.
Because magenta is a primary color, it cannot be made by mixing other colors.
Mixing magenta and yellow in various proportions makes a whole range of reds and oranges.
Mixing magenta and cyan in different proportions makes a whole range of blues and purples. -
Step 2: Mix the magenta paint with whatever bright blue or turquoise you already own.
Any cyan or blue should work fine, as long as it isn't dull or greenish.
Start with a very small amount of blue, then add more till you obtain the hue you want.
Detailed Guide
The reason mixing red and blue paint doesn't give you the bright purple you would like is that red paint absorbs both green and blue light.
Since blue paint absorbs both red and green light, and your eye only senses color in terms of red, green, and blue (the reason we have three primary colors in the first place), that leaves very little red or blue light for your eye to sense, and your brain, which interprets the combinations of colors your eye senses, sees a so-called-purple that is almost black.
Magenta paint on the other hand, since it only absorbs green light, allows plenty of both blue and red light to reach your eye.
Combine it with a small amount of blue paint (absorbs both green and red light), or cyan paint (absorbs only red light), and your brain will receive a strong signal from the blue-sensing nerves, a weaker signal from the red-sensing nerves, and will see . . . bright purple! Magenta is one of the "subtractive" primary colors used by graphic designers and printers; the others are yellow and cyan.
Look for paint that has the pigment PR122 or PV19 in it, but no PB (blue) or PW (white).
If you're buying craft or poster paint, you can compare the color to the magenta in your computer's printer ink.
Just print a sample to take shopping with you.
Because magenta is a primary color, it cannot be made by mixing other colors.
Mixing magenta and yellow in various proportions makes a whole range of reds and oranges.
Mixing magenta and cyan in different proportions makes a whole range of blues and purples.
Any cyan or blue should work fine, as long as it isn't dull or greenish.
Start with a very small amount of blue, then add more till you obtain the hue you want.
About the Author
Samuel Garcia
Enthusiastic about teaching organization techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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